An examination of the research literature suggests that no attempt has been made to examine learner autonomy development within female university-level English as a Foreign…
Abstract
Purpose
An examination of the research literature suggests that no attempt has been made to examine learner autonomy development within female university-level English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Given that English has become the world’s predominant lingua franca for academia, business, and politics, the purpose of this paper, therefore, is to fill this gap in the literature.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a qualitative case study that aims to explore learner autonomy in vocabulary development.
Findings
The results showed that teachers are cognizant of the concept of learner autonomy. However, they are not all certain of the benefits of autonomous vocabulary learning. This study reveals how six adult learners’ levels of autonomy are highly influenced by their teachers’ practices. This study draws out suggestions for English language teachers who promote learner autonomy theory and practice. It also offers specific guidance, models, and adapted learning approaches of how to promote autonomy inside the classroom.
Research limitations/implications
This study encountered several limitations. The first is time: the study took place over the course of two months in the Summer of 2016, when students were fully encumbered with schoolwork and social duties. The recruitment of participants during that time was a challenge. Some of the students who agreed to participate in the study were not fully engaged in the research. Additionally, the study faced difficulties with faculty commitment – one of the professors delayed the interview session multiple times and perceived some of the interview questions negatively. In addition, Dickinson’s (1993) characteristics of learner autonomy are largely related to the opportunities that are presented to the students by the teacher. It appears that Dickinson’s scale was meant to be used to identify students’ level of autonomy, particularly inside the classroom. However, because of some of the examples of activities pertaining to how they learned vocabulary outside the classroom, they were not related to classroom teaching. Also, the number of the participants is limited in this study.
Practical implications
A future study could be undertaken to measure and quantitatively analyze learners’ vocabulary development on a larger scale. Research could also be conducted using a pretest, an intervention, and a posttest to measure the effectiveness of learning vocabulary autonomously. In addition, other pedagogical approaches could be utilized to measure EFL students’ intrinsic motivation and autonomy, which play critical roles in learning. Allowing learners to self-select their preferred method of learning can help them to develop their vocabulary knowledge. The findings from this study reveal that learner autonomy plays a significant role in enhancing EFL students’ vocabulary development.
Originality/value
When students learn vocabulary autonomously, they are better able to source the lingua franca’s core pronunciation of a word and its spelling without the influence of the teacher’s cultural background. Given the magnitude of teachers’ workloads, they may lack the time for designing lessons that adequately meet the needs of diverse learners. Therefore, the practical way to ameliorate the problem of inadequate time is to provide them with methods (e.g. using strategies such as inquiry-based learning, problem-based learning, and project-based learning) that they can use to more readily foster learner autonomy.
Details
Keywords
Rana P.B. Singh and Abhisht Adityam
The notion of deeper experiences of Hindu devotees inspired by divine images and sacred places has roots in the historical past, going back to the Vedic period (ca. 2500 BCE)…
Abstract
The notion of deeper experiences of Hindu devotees inspired by divine images and sacred places has roots in the historical past, going back to the Vedic period (ca. 2500 BCE), where we find rich literature on performances, rituals and merits of pilgrimages. Considered the bridge between human beings and divinities, the experiences received are the resultant ‘blissful fruit’ (phala) that helps the spiritual healing of pilgrims through awakening conscience and understanding the manifested meanings, symbolism, purposes and gains. This system can be viewed concerning the ‘texts’ (the mythology, ancient text and related narratives) and the ‘context’ (contemporality and living tradition). These rules and performances have regional perspectives of distinctions, but they also carry the sense of universality, i.e. locality (sthānic) and universality (sarvavyāpika) interfaces. The devout Hindus reflect their experiences in conception, perception, reception and co-sharedness – altogether making the wholistic network of belief systems, i.e. the religious wholes in Hindu society. This chapter deals with four aspects: the historical and cultural contexts, the meanings and merits received, the motives and the journey and interfacing experiences. The study is based on the experiential and questionnaire-based exposition and interviews of pilgrims at nine holy places during 2015–2019 on various festive occasions and is illustrated with ancient texts and treatises. The sacred cities included are Prayagraj, Varanasi, Gaya, Ayodhya, Vindhyachal, Ganga Sagar, Chitrakut, Mathura Vrindavana and Bodh Gaya.
Details
Keywords
This paper investigated the impact of firms' service recovery efforts on consumers' desire to reciprocate and forgiveness in the hospitality industry of Pakistan. Additionally…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigated the impact of firms' service recovery efforts on consumers' desire to reciprocate and forgiveness in the hospitality industry of Pakistan. Additionally, this study examined the mediating role of perceived justice between service recovery efforts and their outcomes.
Design/methodology/approach
Using snowball sampling technique, an online survey was administered and 259 responses were collected from casual-dining restaurant customers. A partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) were used to examine the hypotheses.
Findings
The results indicate that perceived justice significantly mediates the effect of service recovery efforts on the consumers' desire to reciprocate and forgiveness. Moreover, high (vs. low) service recovery efforts lead to high consumer forgiveness.
Practical implications
The study provides insights for managers into how optimal recovery efforts predict consumers' positive responses and minimize the effect of service failure in South Asian consumers.
Originality/value
This research is among the early endeavors to examine consumers' desire to reciprocate in service recovery context. Also, this is the first study to validate the impact of service recovery efforts on consumers' desire to reciprocate and consumer forgiveness in a South Asian country.
Details
Keywords
Abdelsalam Busalim, Linda D. Hollebeek and Theo Lynn
Social commerce (s-commerce) offers community-based platforms that facilitate customer-to-customer interactions and the development of customers' social shopping-based experience…
Abstract
Purpose
Social commerce (s-commerce) offers community-based platforms that facilitate customer-to-customer interactions and the development of customers' social shopping-based experience. While prior research has addressed the role of customer engagement (CE) in boosting s-commerce-based sales and performance, insight into the effect of s-commerce attributes on CE remains tenuous. Addressing this gap, this study examines the role of specific s-commerce attributes (i.e. community, collaboration, interactivity and social dynamics) on CE, which is, in turn, proposed to impact customers' repurchase- and electronic word of mouth (eWOM) intention.
Design/methodology/approach
A web-based survey was deployed to target users of a popular s-commerce platform, Etsy.com. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was, then, used to analyze the survey data collected from 390 users.
Findings
The results reveal that the four examined attributes positively affect CE. The findings also demonstrate CE's positive effect on customers' repurchase- and eWOM intention.
Originality/value
Though CE has been identified as a key s-commerce performance indicator, little remains known about the role of specific s-commerce attributes in driving CE, as, therefore, explored in this research. Specifically, the authors examine the role of s-commerce-based community, collaboration, interactivity and social dynamics on CE. Their analyses also corroborate that CE, in turn, drives customers' post-purchase (i.e. repurchase/eWOM) intention. Managerially, our findings can be used to develop more engaging s-commerce platforms.
Details
Keywords
Ahmed M. Adel, Xin Dai and Rana S. Roshdy
It is globally recognized that food waste has significant economic, social and environmental impacts. This study endeavors to identify the individuals' underlying factors that…
Abstract
Purpose
It is globally recognized that food waste has significant economic, social and environmental impacts. This study endeavors to identify the individuals' underlying factors that affect food waste behavior in a social context in Egypt.
Design/methodology/approach
Due to the scarcity of research illustrating food waste in a social context, a qualitative research paradigm is employed. In-depth semi-structured interviews are conducted with 18 Egyptian households to report their experiences, thoughts and feelings while eating in a social context.
Findings
Based on thematic analysis using grounded theory procedures, eight main elements affecting creation and reduction of food waste in social contexts are identified. Additionally, the authors investigate the role of emotions in social dining contexts. A key finding is that food waste in social events is inevitable and is the acceptable norm in the Egyptian culture. Thus, the first step to reduce food waste is paying more attention to change culture. Persuading people with the negative consequences of food waste issue on behalf of their cultural values will be more challenging and may require more innovative approaches.
Originality/value
Although food waste issue is one of the contemporary issues in the world, very little is known about how social food consumption leads to food waste behavior. This study employs social influence theory and the collectivistic culture orientation to investigate the unanswered question of why food gets wasted in social meal context.
Details
Keywords
Maria Fregidou-Malama, Ehsanul Huda Chowdhury and Akmal S. Hyder
This study aims to increase understanding of factors influencing the international marketing (IM) strategy of products from emerging markets (EMs) to international markets.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to increase understanding of factors influencing the international marketing (IM) strategy of products from emerging markets (EMs) to international markets.
Design/methodology/approach
This study conducted case studies by collecting qualitative data through semistructured interviews with respondents from four food product companies in Bangladesh.
Findings
This study finds that the firms employ local Bangladeshi people who are knowledgeable in the company culture. They strategically focus on countries where the Bangladeshi diaspora lives and initially target them, approaching natives later. They adapt and customize products to the importers’ requirements to make them visible and increase understanding between product providers and local customers. The findings show that EM firms encounter a mentality that poor countries produce poor quality products; this mindset makes the internationalization of their business difficult.
Research limitations/implications
This research contributes to international product marketing of EM firms by constructing a model of a modern people-oriented marketing strategy for food products. This study contributes to literature on culture by illustrating that the cultural dimensions of collectivism and uncertainty avoidance enhance the development of networks and trust and impact marketing strategy.
Originality/value
This study theorizes the importance of context and an innovation-driven modern people-oriented IM strategy that adapts to customers’ preferences for food products and emphasizes the contribution of diaspora. This research reveals that Bangladeshi firms face challenges both because customers link the country and the companies to low-quality products and because governmental regulations prevent them from establishing a local presence in other countries. This study analyzes challenges EM firms face in the process of IM and the factors affecting Bangladesh in particular.
Details
Keywords
Md. Anhar Sharif Mollah, Md. Abdur Rouf and S.M. Sohel Rana
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current capital budgeting practices in Bangladeshi listed companies and provide a normative framework (guidelines) for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the current capital budgeting practices in Bangladeshi listed companies and provide a normative framework (guidelines) for practitioners.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected with a structured questionnaire survey taking from the chief financial officers (CFOs) of companies listed in the Dhaka Stock Exchange in Bangladesh. Garnered data were then analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques.
Findings
The results found that net present value was the most prevalent capital budgeting method, followed closely by internal rate of return and payback period. Similarly, the weighted average cost of capital was found to be the widely used method for calculating cost of capital. Further, results also revealed that CFOs adjust their risk factor using discount rate.
Originality/value
The findings of this study might help the firms, policymakers and practitioners to take a wise decision while evaluating investment projects. Additionally, this study’s findings enrich the existing body of knowledge in the field of capital budgeting practices by providing more reliable and comprehensive analysis taking samples from a developing economy.
Details
Keywords
Takumi Kato, Wakako Yoshimura, Yusuke Shinozaki, Katsuya Hayami, Ryosuke Ikeda and Masaki Koizumi
Despite growing knowledge about its benefits, the organic food market’s expansion has been limited. A problem with ethical consumption is the attitude–behavior gap. The simplest…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite growing knowledge about its benefits, the organic food market’s expansion has been limited. A problem with ethical consumption is the attitude–behavior gap. The simplest reason for this gap is that in survey settings, social desirability bias elicits positive attitudes; whereas in real settings, the ambiguity of direct benefits leads to negative behavior. By clinging to the excessive values of a beauty premium, consumers abandon essential health in favor of apparent health, increasing product prices and contributing to environmental degradation. Using organic food, this study aims to eliminate this gap in the consumption of organic foods.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a randomized controlled trial – the gold standard for estimating the causal effects of treatments – with 1,500 individuals aged 20–70 years in Japan. The authors consider appealing aspects other than product characteristics, such as health and environmental considerations, and focus on the negative effects of beauty premiums.
Findings
The above marketing communication significantly increased purchase intention. This effect was more pronounced among younger people, men, those with higher incomes and those who cook less frequently as compared to their counterparts. Health and environmental considerations had no effect on purchase intentions.
Originality/value
This study incorporated consumer values regarding health and environmental benefits in new marketing communications to address the “beauty premium” and resolve the conventional attitude–behavior gap concerning organic foods.
Details
Keywords
Jordi Lopez-Sintas, Giuseppe Lamberti and Pilar Lopez-Belbeze
This article explores the heterogenous social mechanisms that drive responsible environmental behaviours by investigating differences in the mean effect of the psychosocial…
Abstract
Purpose
This article explores the heterogenous social mechanisms that drive responsible environmental behaviours by investigating differences in the mean effect of the psychosocial determinants of the intention to buy organic foods.
Design/methodology/approach
Using data for a representative sample of the Spanish population, we estimated the mean effect of the constructs represented in the responsible environmental behaviour (REB) theory that affect sustainable food consumption, and examined the social mechanisms that may explain heterogeneity in the mean effect of those constructs. Confirmatory factor analysis, linear regression, and latent class regression were used in the analysis.
Findings
We found that the effect of REB’s psychosocial constructs varied significantly, demonstrating social heterogeneity in the estimated average effect. We identified different social mechanisms that explain variations in organic food purchase intentions: environmental attitudes and social norms shape these intentions among socioeconomically privileged consumers, whereas personal norms shape these intentions among less socially advantaged consumers.
Originality/value
Our research contributes to the literature by highlighting the existence of differing social mechanisms explaining organic food purchase intentions. The uncovering of three social mechanisms explaining differences in the mean effect of factors driving those intentions provides valuable insights with regard to both further developing a holistic framework for responsible environmental behaviours and developing new public policies and marketing strategies aimed at improving sustainable food consumption.
Details
Keywords
Bianca Kronemann, Hatice Kizgin, Nripendra Rana and Yogesh K. Dwivedi
This paper aims to explore the overall research question “How can artificial intelligence (AI) influence consumer information disclosure?”. It considers how anthropomorphism of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the overall research question “How can artificial intelligence (AI) influence consumer information disclosure?”. It considers how anthropomorphism of AI, personalisation and privacy concerns influence consumers’ attitudes and encourage disclosure of their private information.
Design/methodology/approach
This research draws upon the personalisation-privacy paradox (PPP) and privacy calculus theory (PCT) to address the research question and examine how AI can influence consumer information disclosure. It is proposed that anthropomorphism of AI and personalisation positively influence consumer attitudes and intentions to disclose personal information to a digital assistant, while privacy concerns negatively affect attitude and information disclosure.
Findings
This paper develops a conceptual model based on and presents seven research propositions (RPs) for future research.
Originality/value
Building upon PPP and PCT, this paper presents a view on the benefits and drawbacks of AI from a consumer perspective. This paper contributes to literature by critically reflecting upon on the question how consumer information disclosure is influenced by AI. In addition, seven RPs and future research areas are outlined in relation to privacy and consumer information disclosure in relation to AI.
¿Cómo anima la IA a los consumidores a compartir sus secretos?
El papel del antropomorfismo, la personalización y los problemas de privacidad y perspectivas para la investigación futura
Resumen
Propósito
Este artículo explora la pregunta general de investigación “¿Cómo puede influir la inteligencia artificial (IA) en la divulgación de información por parte de los consumidores? Se analiza cómo el antropomorfismo de la IA, la personalización y la preocupación por la privacidad influyen en la actitud de los consumidores y fomentan la revelación de su información privada.
Diseño/metodología/enfoque
Esta investigación se basa en la paradoja de la personalización y la privacidad y en la teoría del cálculo de la privacidad para abordar la pregunta de investigación y examinar cómo la IA puede influir en la revelación de información de los consumidores. Se propone que el antropomorfismo de la IA y la personalización influyen positivamente en las actitudes de los consumidores y en su intención de revelar información personal a un asistente digital, mientras que la preocupación por la privacidad afecta negativamente a la actitud y a la revelación de información.
Conclusiones
Este artículo desarrolla un modelo conceptual basado en siete propuestas de investigación para el futuro.
Originalidad
Basándose en la paradoja de la personalización y la privacidad y en la teoría del cálculo de la privacidad, este artículo presenta un punto de vista sobre los beneficios e inconvenientes de la IA desde la perspectiva del consumidor. Este artículo contribuye a la literatura al reflexionar de forma crítica sobre la cuestión de cómo influye la IA en la revelación de información del consumidor. Además, se esbozan siete propuestas de investigación y futuras áreas de investigación en relación con la privacidad y la divulgación de información del consumidor en relación con la IA.
人工智能如何
鼓励消费者分享他们的秘密?拟人化、个性化和隐私问题的作用以及未来研究的途径
摘要
目的
本文探讨了 “人工智能如何影响消费者的信息披露?"这一总体研究问题。它考虑了人工智能(AI)的拟人化、个性化和隐私问题是如何影响消费者的态度并鼓励他们披露私人信息的。
设计/方法/途径
本研究借鉴了个性化-隐私悖论和隐私计算理论来解决研究问题, 并研究人工智能如何影响消费者信息披露。本文提出, 人工智能的拟人化和个性化对消费者向数字助理披露个人信息的态度和意图有积极影响, 而隐私问题对态度和信息披露有消极影响。
研究结果
本文在此基础上建立了一个概念模型, 并为未来的研究提出了七个研究命题。
原创性
在个性化-隐私悖论和隐私计算理论的基础上, 本文从消费者的角度提出了对人工智能的好处和坏处的看法。本文通过对消费者信息披露如何受到人工智能影响的问题进行批判性反思, 对文献做出了贡献。此外, 本文概述了与人工智能相关的隐私和消费者信息披露方面的七个研究命题和未来研究领域。
Details
Keywords
- Anthropomorphism
- Artificial intelligence (AI)
- Conversational agent
- Information disclosure
- Privacy calculus theory
- Privacy-personalisation paradox
- Antropomorfismo
- Inteligencia artificial (IA)
- Agente conversacional
- Revelación de información
- Teoría del cálculo de la privacidad
- Paradoja privacidad-personalización
- 拟人化
- 人工智能(AI)
- 对话代理
- 信息披露
- 隐私计算理论
- 隐私-个性化悖论